Why Portugal’s Ricardo Quaresma Can Make a Long-Awaited Impact at Euro 2016

His place on a myriad of “failed wonderkid” lists has long been complete, but there are signs that Ricardo Quaresma could finally—at the age of 32—be about to showcase his remarkable talents on the global stage.

The early success, the money-spinning move to Barcelona, the switch to Serie A, the disastrous loan to England, a spell in the United Arab Emirates—Quaresma’s career really has ticked all the boxes of a “what-might-have-been” story, but as he showed in Cristiano Ronaldo’s absence in Portugal’s pre-Euro 2016 win over Norway, his second coming might be his best yet.

Quaresma’s goal against Norway, woof! https://t.co/qk691IWSNp

— Back Page Football (@bpfootball) May 30, 2016

When opening the scoring 13 minutes into the game in Porto, the Besiktas winger cut inside from the left flank and bent a stunning effort into the top corner past goalkeeper Rune Jarstein, who barely had time to react as it flashed past him into the net.

Change the shirt number, the hairstyle and the fact that his celebration would probably have been a lot more photogenic, and this could have been Ronaldo himself, with the Portugal captain doubtless voicing his approval once he’d stopped staring at his own reflection in Real Madrid’s 11th Champions League trophy—and his own third—and taken in the result achieved in his absence.

It was a win capped off with goals from Raphael Guerreiro and Eder in the second half, with both strikes coming after Quaresma had departed the pitch at the Estadio do Dragao to an ovation.

His has always been a career which draws a shake of the head and mention of what might have been when mentioned.

He arrived at Barcelona in 2003, …

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